Efforts under way to revitalize Michigan's Irish Hills

Arlene Bachanov

Tuesday

Sep 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMSep 29, 2009 at 2:07 PM

Though some may view the economic status of the Irish Hills as fading into oblivion, others see an opportunity to help travelers rediscover the natural beauty that first attracted visitors in the early 20th century.

Though some may view the economic status of the Irish Hills as fading into oblivion, others see an opportunity to help travelers rediscover the natural beauty that first attracted visitors in the early 20th century.

Efforts are under way to help revitalize the scenic area of Michigan, known for its rolling hills and lakes, said Cindy Hubbell, executive director of the Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce.

“We have many wonderful opportunities for families to come and enjoy what we have to offer,” Hubbell said. “There are many bicycle trails, lakes and campgrounds just waiting to be discovered.”

There are 52 lakes minutes from the U.S. 12 corridor along with historic stops, festivals and natural places of beauty.

Still, the area has had its casualties. The Irish Hills towers, built in 1924 as a roadside attraction, closed in 2000. Other businesses, such as Fantasy Land, Frontier City, Prehistoric Forest and Kelly’s on the Hill bar, have long since shut down or disappeared from the landscape.

In 2008, Stagecoach Stop USA and Golden Nugget closed down. Owner Fred Bahlau said the family businesses both ceased operations as a result of a steady decline in business over the last five years they were open.

Walker Tavern site historian Cheryl Valentine said she sees the economic shift as an opportunity to “get back to the basics” of tourism.

Though nearly all of the roadside attractions made popular in middle part of the 20th century are closed, the land and water that attracted travelers remains just as it did in the pioneer days, Valentine said.

The tavern’s staff has made many improvements to the campus, Valentine said, including a new barn roof and new paint on the tavern itself, as well as a split-rail fence around the perimeter.

“The groundskeepers and volunteers did such a fabulous job this summer,” Valentine said. “We’re definitely seeing a positive difference at Cambridge Junction.”

Valentine said visitation to the historic site has increased as a result, and officials have extended the site’s season — formerly June through August — to May through October, concluding with a Victorian-themed Halloween celebration Oct. 24.

Festival a 'great success'

Perhaps the most visible event for promoting the natural and economic value of the Irish Hills is the annual Oh These Irish Hills festival, which was held Sept. 19 at Hidden Lake Gardens.

“It went very well,” said Kay Roumell, vice president of OTIH. “We had a steady stream of people coming all day.”

She said preliminary figures showed more than 1,500 people attended the festival, adding that overall it was “a great success.”

Roumell said the OTIH group — formed to promote a renewed Irish Hills — originated in 2004 as the result of an idea put forth by member Bob Kellum.

“The Irish Hills used to be a dynamic place, and now it is in need of attention,” Roumell said. “That is where Bob stepped in.

“We felt the best way to start reinventing the Irish Hills is by recognizing what we have.”

Four Irish Hills historic sites were identified and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

“This recognition will enable us to continue to make the Irish Hills a historic district,” Roumell said. “In return, it should generate an increase in tourism to the Irish Hills area.”

Roumell said OTIH is taking a more hands-on approach to part of its mission statement wording — “the beauty of the place” — by doing roadside cleanups throughout the region.

“When coming down U.S. 12 in the Irish Hills, we are disheartened when we see areas that have been let go and buildings that need to be cleaned up and some that have seen their better day,” Roumell said.

“Our beautification committee has been at work this year and we believe that we have made a dent in the beautification of the area,” she added.

Over the summer, the group volunteered to clean up the corner of U.S. 12 and M-50.

“It looks 100 percent better,” Roumell said.

The Irish Hills welcome signs have also been improved, and the group added new native plantings around the signs. Roumell said the organization is working to spruce up the region in time for the wayside exhibits, set to be be placed along the roadways later this fall. The mock-up versions of the roadside history exhibits were on display at the OTIH festival.

Working to improve

Another revitalization project in the Irish Hills area is the restoration of the Brick Walker Tavern at the intersection of U.S. 12 and M-50.

Tom Lee of Livonia announced plans earlier in the year to open a restaurant and antique shop next spring. Work continues on the 155-year-old tavern, while the adjacent barn, recently taken apart and moved to a new spot on the property, is being re-assembled piece by piece.

To Hayes State Park supervisor Tim Bauer, remaining a vital part of the Irish Hills is about evolving to keep up with the tastes and needs of the traveler.

“As times change, so have we,” Bauer said.

In recent years, the park has evolved from a primarily rustic campground to one that offers paved access roads and amenity hookups.

“We’re in a time where more people are appreciating the basics, including the natural resources this area has to offer,” Bauer said. “We’re always working to make that accessible to them.”

For Michigan International Speedway, on the western fringe of the Irish Hills, making the track a destination is not limited to two NASCAR race weekends each year.

Dennis Worden, MIS manager of public relations, said the track plays host nearly year-around for events both large and small in order to encourage the Irish Hills-area economy.

From the annual Onsted Show Car Nationals and the Spirit of America blood drive to the Michigan High School Athletic Association’s cross country finals and a collegiate design competition that attracts participants from around the world, each event helps boost the economy, Worden said.

“That is what is great about the events,” he added.

The track recently opened a grass field, also used as a parking lot, for local soccer leagues to use.

When it comes to the races, Worden said, thousands of fans descend on the area and stay at the local motels, buy supplies from stores and eat at the restaurants.

“Sixty percent of the fans come from out of state, and many of them patronize the local businesses,” Worden said.

Ways to help

Hubbell said the chamber and marketing council are developing a marketing campaign and Web site for next year, and the chamber is gathering information and ideas to attract tourists and businesses to the Irish Hills. Anyone who wants to help can call the chamber at 592-8907.

Those who want to learn how to take advantage of their cultural, historical and scenic heritage resources to help strengthen the Irish Hills’ economy can do so at the 2009 Heritage Route Summit planned for Oct. 29 in Coldwater, said Kim Gallagher, project manager for the U.S. Heritage Trail group.

Gallagher said the summit will offer ways to promote partnerships to preserve the heritage of regions along U.S. 12 and to seek funding for history-related sites, including the Irish Hills.

For more information about the summit, call Branch County Tourism Bureau Executive Director Debra Yee at 800-968-9333 or 517-278-0241, or visit www.us12heritagetrail.org/heritagesummit.asp.

Daily Telegram (Adrian, Mich.)

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